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Marine Group Boat Works Chooses Baker Electric Solar to Support Its Goal of Being a Zero-emission Boatbuilder

SAN DIEGO, CA, October 4, 2016 – Baker Electric Solar, a full-service solar provider has designed and installed a 482.98 kilowatt (kW) rooftop solar system for Marine Group Boat Works (MGBW), a West Coast family-owned boat building and repair company. The San Diego-based shipyard and longtime Port of San Diego tenant will see an 81% reduction in its annual electricity consumed based on past and projected consumption. Projections also indicate that MGBW will save an estimated $154,196 in energy costs in the first year. The system is comprised of 1,558 Hyundai 310 watt (W) solar modules with 14 SMA inverters. MGBW has three facilities totaling more than 1,300,000 square feet. The rooftop solar installation is located at MGBW’s 35,000-square-foot facility at 1313 Bay Marine Drive in National City, California.

“Our initial decision to go solar was driven primarily by our desire to be a zero-emission, low impact boatbuilder,” said MGBW President Todd Roberts. “There’s no question that solar is an economic benefit, but there are many other advantages – everything from self-reliance and sustainability to doing the right thing. We chose to do the right thing, as we have in our other lines of businesses, to continue being leaders in our community.”

MGBW contracted with Baker following a nationwide search for a solar provider.

“We found Baker had the experience and did the best job of explaining the options,” said Roberts. “They worked closely with our structural engineering and steel contractor and added roof reinforcements designed to meet seismic requirements when the concern came up. Baker stayed on schedule, did a great job of communicating and even arranged the solar commissioning after-hours and on a weekend to help us avoid interruptions to our business operations.”

“The new solar system not only minimizes MGBW’s carbon footprint, but also provides more than $3 million in net savings over the 25-year warranted life of the solar modules,” said Baker’s Director of Commercial Solar Scott Williams. “We never lose sight of how renewable energy generation provides businesses with increased cash flow — freeing up capital to give them an edge in an ever-competitive environment.”

The solar installation builds MGBW’s environmental business practices, which includes reclaiming 100 percent of storm water runoff and eliminating any discharge into the bay. In addition, the company’s sandblasting and painting are done in an enclosure where all air emissions and dust are recaptured and, when possible, recycled.

MGWB’s going solar also supports the goals of the Port of San Diego’s climate action plan, which calls for 10 percent reductions of all greenhouse gas emissions by 2020 and 25 percent by 2035 compared to 2006 numbers.

According to the EPA Greenhouse Gas Equivalencies Calculator, MGBW’s new solar system will save the equivalent of annual greenhouse gas emissions from 1,214,096 miles driven by an average passenger vehicle. It will offset CO2 emissions from 57,002 gallons of gasoline consumed or 540,568 pounds of coal burned.

“The San Diego region is a smart cities leader with a widespread commitment to adopting clean technologies that reduce greenhouse gas emissions and save money,” said Cleantech San Diego President and CEO Jason Anderson. “Thanks to partnerships between capable solar providers such as Baker and progressive businesses such as Marine Group Boat Works, we continue to chart a course toward a cleaner, more sustainable future for our region’s economy and environment.”

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About Baker Electric Solar
San Diego-based Baker Electric Solar designs, installs and maintains solar systems for homes, commercial facilities and utility-scale projects across Southern California. As a member of the Baker family of companies, Baker Electric Solar is a BBB accredited business with an A+ rating. It ranks No. 23 on Solar Power World Magazine’s 2016 Top 50 Solar Contractors in California and No. 76 on the Top 500 Solar Contractors in North America. It was recognized by the San Diego Business Journal as San Diego’s No. 16 Fastest-Growing Private Company. Baker also earned the Angie’s List Super Service Award three consecutive years (2013–2015). For more information, visit https://www.bakerelectricsolar.com

About Marine Group Boat WorksMarine Group Boat Works is a family-owned, full-service vessel construction and repair company with two facilities on the San Diego Bay and one facility in Los Cabos. It accommodates cruisers, sailboats, superyachts and commercial vessels up to 220 feet. Its largest facility in Chula Vista, California is about one million square feet with over 2,000 feet of dockage and boasts a 665-ton travelift, rough terrain cranes, a machine shop, brand new metal working equipment and a propeller shop. Its sister yards in National City and San Jose del Cabo encompass over 300,000 square feet of land and water and feature 300- and 150-ton travelifts respectively. Between the three facilities, MGBW employs over 200 ABS-certified welders, shipfitters, pipefitters, mechanics, electricians, painters and other specialists. In addition to being a small business MSRA and ABR Navy contract holder, commercial and government customers include the Port of San Diego, Golden Gate Bridge and Transportation District, San Francisco Water Emergency Transportation Authority, Curtin Maritime, San Diego Maritime Museum, Flagship Cruises and more. For more information, visit http://www.marinegroupbw.com.

About Cleantech San Diego Cleantech San Diego is a nonprofit member organization that positions the greater San Diego region, including Imperial County, as a global leader in the cleantech economy. The organization achieves this by fostering collaborations across the private-public-academic landscape, leading advocacy efforts to promote cleantech priorities, and encouraging investment in the San Diego region. Cleantech San Diego’s membership includes more than 100 local businesses, universities, governments, and nonprofits committed to advancing sustainable solutions for the benefit of the economy and the environment. Learn more at cleantechsandiego.org.